Weinstein Hires Diddy's Lawyers

Harvey Weinstein has hired Luigi Mangione's and Sean "Diddy" Combs' lawyers to represent him at his third New York rape trial, reshaping his legal team after declining to end the case with a guilty plea, the AP reports. The lawyers, Jacob Kaplan, Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, confirmed the move in court papers Tuesday. They take over for Weinstein's longtime lawyer, Arthur Aidala, who ceded his courtroom role to focus on the ex-studio boss' appeals and pending civil matters. Kaplan was a member of Weinstein's original defense team in 2018 and is expected to have a leading role in his defense at the third trial, which involves a charge that the Oscar-winning producer raped hairstylist and actor Jessica Mann in a Manhattan hotel in 2013.

At a hearing in January, Weinstein insisted he "never assaulted anyone" and said his "spirit was breaking" after nearly six years behind bars. The trial, postponed from a March 3 start, hasn't been rescheduled. Weinstein is due in court March 4 for a status conference. Legal publication Law360 first reported the legal team shake up. Kaplan, Agnifilo and Geragos are all partners at the Manhattan firm Agnifilo Intrater. "Harvey believes that, after two prior trials on this matter, a recalibrated outlook and strategic approach offers the most effective path forward," Weinstein spokesperson Juda Engelmayer said.

Kaplan, Agnifilo and Geragos are in the midst of several high-profile cases, including Mangione's state trial slated to begin June 8, which could affect the timing of Weinstein's trial. Even without accusers other than Mann, prosecutors have said it could take up to five weeks. Kaplan and Agnifilo are representing Mangione in his parallel state and federal cases in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. They succeed in getting terrorism charges thrown out in the state case and the death penalty barred in the federal case. Agnifilo and Geragos represented Combs, achieving a split verdict and acquittals on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, and currently are among the lawyers defending wealthy brothers Alon, Oren and Tal Alexander at their sex trafficking trial in Manhattan federal court.